Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Pine Bush School Board wants to split district into zones
Could a bloc vote of new Hasidic voters in Bloomingburg take over the Pine Bush Board of Education?
Because many residents of this district that encompasses Bloomingburg fear that could happen, the Pine Bush Board of Education has asked Superintendent Joan Carbone to explore how board members could be elected to represent particular zones in the district, not the district as a whole – a move that apparently would mean changing state law.
This way, each zone would elect a representative, and no zone would have more power than another.
The idea is the brainchild of John Kahrs, leader of the Concerned Citizens’ Group of Pine Bush, which led the fight against a proposed private girls school in Bloomingburg that would be fed by developer Shalom Lamm’s 396 home Hasidic development.
“It’s about the Village of Bloomingburg, but it’s also about limiting the power of one segment of the population over the power of another segment,” says Kahrs, one of many residents who spoke out for the move at Tuesday’s night’s packed Pine Bush Board of Education meeting.
He points to the East Ramapo Central School District in Rockland County, a public district with a Board of Education comprised of ultra-Orthodox members.
“We can take that as a learning tool and be proactive,” says board member Roseanne Sullivan, also an Orange County Legislator who notes that board members will collect opinions on the possible move from the public.
But Kahrs also says such a move would make particular sense in Pine Bush, which draws students from seven towns over three counties.
“When you have a unique district like Pine Bush…where everyone in those towns pays different taxes, why can’t each municipality have a different representative? Kahrs asks.”
Problem is, state law doesn’t allow a district to do that, says Carbone.
“It’s impossible to do it without changing the law,” she says.
Still, Kahrs plans on targeting state legislators with a letter writing and lobbying campaign – even though he admits the chances of success are “slim.”
“We need to protect the public education system,” he says.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140312/NEWS/140319889
Because many residents of this district that encompasses Bloomingburg fear that could happen, the Pine Bush Board of Education has asked Superintendent Joan Carbone to explore how board members could be elected to represent particular zones in the district, not the district as a whole – a move that apparently would mean changing state law.
This way, each zone would elect a representative, and no zone would have more power than another.
The idea is the brainchild of John Kahrs, leader of the Concerned Citizens’ Group of Pine Bush, which led the fight against a proposed private girls school in Bloomingburg that would be fed by developer Shalom Lamm’s 396 home Hasidic development.
“It’s about the Village of Bloomingburg, but it’s also about limiting the power of one segment of the population over the power of another segment,” says Kahrs, one of many residents who spoke out for the move at Tuesday’s night’s packed Pine Bush Board of Education meeting.
He points to the East Ramapo Central School District in Rockland County, a public district with a Board of Education comprised of ultra-Orthodox members.
“We can take that as a learning tool and be proactive,” says board member Roseanne Sullivan, also an Orange County Legislator who notes that board members will collect opinions on the possible move from the public.
But Kahrs also says such a move would make particular sense in Pine Bush, which draws students from seven towns over three counties.
“When you have a unique district like Pine Bush…where everyone in those towns pays different taxes, why can’t each municipality have a different representative? Kahrs asks.”
Problem is, state law doesn’t allow a district to do that, says Carbone.
“It’s impossible to do it without changing the law,” she says.
Still, Kahrs plans on targeting state legislators with a letter writing and lobbying campaign – even though he admits the chances of success are “slim.”
“We need to protect the public education system,” he says.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140312/NEWS/140319889
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